Armed British police on patrol?
January 19, 2011 4:58 PM Subscribe
Saw two armed police in London - when did British police start carrying guns?
I don't visit London often, but a few weeks ago I was walking down a street in West London (along the edge of Hyde Park) and saw a pair of police walking down the street, both were armed with weapons that looked like submachine guns (the gun that looks most like what I saw from this Wikipedia article is the MP5).
What was going on there? I didn't think ordinary British police went around armed as a matter of course, and there didn't seem to be anything special on, there was just this pair of armed cops wandering down the street in a posh part of London. Is this is a special London thing?
I don't visit London often, but a few weeks ago I was walking down a street in West London (along the edge of Hyde Park) and saw a pair of police walking down the street, both were armed with weapons that looked like submachine guns (the gun that looks most like what I saw from this Wikipedia article is the MP5).
What was going on there? I didn't think ordinary British police went around armed as a matter of course, and there didn't seem to be anything special on, there was just this pair of armed cops wandering down the street in a posh part of London. Is this is a special London thing?
They are all over the place, but only in special places. It's usually to do with an embassy or somesuch thing. I took a portrait of two armed policemen in Mayfair last year. They were very friendly.
posted by Magnakai at 5:09 PM on January 19, 2011
posted by Magnakai at 5:09 PM on January 19, 2011
Ordinary police don't carry guns, no. But there are units that do, especially in high profile (target) areas. They've been carrying MP5's (that I've seen) and hand guns at airports for many years, and close to major political or high profile targets for almost as long.
There are armed units in a lot of areas (or there were last time I was home a few years ago) and armed response units available in almost all major areas.
posted by Brockles at 5:09 PM on January 19, 2011
There are armed units in a lot of areas (or there were last time I was home a few years ago) and armed response units available in almost all major areas.
posted by Brockles at 5:09 PM on January 19, 2011
Saw two armed police in London - when did British police start carrying guns?
Forgot to add - "Since the 1970's and major terrorist action throughout the capital since that point". This isn't a recent thing, although the number of armed police has increased.
posted by Brockles at 5:10 PM on January 19, 2011
Forgot to add - "Since the 1970's and major terrorist action throughout the capital since that point". This isn't a recent thing, although the number of armed police has increased.
posted by Brockles at 5:10 PM on January 19, 2011
Although London has always had armed police units, I was under the impression that their numbers increased after the July 2005 subway bombings (I visited that August and I saw officers equipped with semi-automatic weapons all over the touristy parts of town) and this NPR piece seems to agree.
posted by muddgirl at 5:12 PM on January 19, 2011
posted by muddgirl at 5:12 PM on January 19, 2011
Best answer: Probably area specific. Kensington Palace Gardens, running down the west side of Hyde Park, is home to the Israeli, Russian, Rumanian, Nepalese, Lebanese and Slovak embassies. Kensington Palace is also nearby.
posted by Dr.Pill at 5:31 PM on January 19, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by Dr.Pill at 5:31 PM on January 19, 2011 [1 favorite]
Some members of the English police forces have carried firearms since Robert Peel's day. There were more armed police during the World Wars, during the peak period of terrorist actions relating to the conflict in Northern Ireland, and since the 2005 subway bombing.
There was a sharp reduction in the number of police officers carrying firearms after some key 1984 and 1988 legislation; IIRC, it went from 20+ percent of officers with firearm authorization (the number had increased in response both to the Northern Ireland conflict-related violence and a general increase in gun violence) to around 15%, but it has gone up a bit since then.
That's what I know from my learnings. My non-statistically-significant datapoint is that since the 2005 bombings, the police (especially in London) have made more of an open show of being armed. Although 20%+ of police officers had arms authorizations in the 1980s, one rarely saw a show of firearms in my recollection.
posted by Sidhedevil at 5:37 PM on January 19, 2011
There was a sharp reduction in the number of police officers carrying firearms after some key 1984 and 1988 legislation; IIRC, it went from 20+ percent of officers with firearm authorization (the number had increased in response both to the Northern Ireland conflict-related violence and a general increase in gun violence) to around 15%, but it has gone up a bit since then.
That's what I know from my learnings. My non-statistically-significant datapoint is that since the 2005 bombings, the police (especially in London) have made more of an open show of being armed. Although 20%+ of police officers had arms authorizations in the 1980s, one rarely saw a show of firearms in my recollection.
posted by Sidhedevil at 5:37 PM on January 19, 2011
Oh, Dr. Pill makes a good point. All or at least most of the Ministry of Defence police are armed, and it would make sense to see police from those units near the various embassies mentioned.
posted by Sidhedevil at 5:39 PM on January 19, 2011
posted by Sidhedevil at 5:39 PM on January 19, 2011
I dunno, maybe Camden was more dangerous than I thought, but in the 80s, I remember armed bobbies pretty regularly at night. It's quite possible my memory is incorrect, however, and what they had were non-lethal tools in the same spots that American police carry guns.
posted by dejah420 at 7:05 PM on January 19, 2011
posted by dejah420 at 7:05 PM on January 19, 2011
There were armed police in British airports over twenty years ago.
posted by Joe in Australia at 8:05 PM on January 19, 2011
posted by Joe in Australia at 8:05 PM on January 19, 2011
The police here have been on a high alert over the past few weeks and we're seeing many more officers about than usual, armed ones specifically.
I'm in the financial district ("The City") most days, and not only are they randomly screening vehicles entering and leaving this area, you now see groups of officers walking the streets, sometimes armed, where previously I don't recall seeing police. Six months ago those vehicle checkpoints were largely unmanned. FWIW, I've been working in The City since 1997 so this is unusual.
Yesterday, for instance, there were four officers on the platform at Bank Station when I got off the Tube. As I approached the escalator I could see one getting on the train while the door was open, apparently looking at the passengers. The others seemed to be scrutinising folks on the platform.
Interesting times.
posted by Mutant at 10:42 PM on January 19, 2011
I'm in the financial district ("The City") most days, and not only are they randomly screening vehicles entering and leaving this area, you now see groups of officers walking the streets, sometimes armed, where previously I don't recall seeing police. Six months ago those vehicle checkpoints were largely unmanned. FWIW, I've been working in The City since 1997 so this is unusual.
Yesterday, for instance, there were four officers on the platform at Bank Station when I got off the Tube. As I approached the escalator I could see one getting on the train while the door was open, apparently looking at the passengers. The others seemed to be scrutinising folks on the platform.
Interesting times.
posted by Mutant at 10:42 PM on January 19, 2011
Definitely not common. I know this because:
a) My wife has a gun phobia. And whenever we see police with guns it is a memorable event (her shaking, me trying to get her away, etc)
b) We live in London and walk everywhere
That is not to say that Brockles and Mutant aren't correct. But I think its easier to talk about the exceptions than the general rule.
posted by vacapinta at 12:07 AM on January 20, 2011
a) My wife has a gun phobia. And whenever we see police with guns it is a memorable event (her shaking, me trying to get her away, etc)
b) We live in London and walk everywhere
That is not to say that Brockles and Mutant aren't correct. But I think its easier to talk about the exceptions than the general rule.
posted by vacapinta at 12:07 AM on January 20, 2011
I was working in Victoria St Westminster a couple of years ago, just down from Scotland Yard. There were nearly always a couple of armed police outside, and one of them would be carrying a submachine gun. Most of the police I'd see around Westminster seemed to be armed. (Now I'm in Ireland, and it's very rare for me to see an armed Garda.)
posted by Logophiliac at 12:15 AM on January 20, 2011
posted by Logophiliac at 12:15 AM on January 20, 2011
Dr.Pill is likely right. You don't say which side of Hyde park you were on, but, aside from the Embassies he mentions on the west side, the US embassy is on the east side and there are always a lot of gentlemen with guns near there.
posted by Busy Old Fool at 2:10 AM on January 20, 2011
posted by Busy Old Fool at 2:10 AM on January 20, 2011
The standard British bobby still doesn't carry a gun. What you saw were special officers who usually patrol "sensitive" areas like airports or embassies where the threat of terrorism is elevated.
posted by Decani at 2:49 AM on January 20, 2011
posted by Decani at 2:49 AM on January 20, 2011
Best answer: Most likely the Diplomatic Protection Group (met.police.uk/so/dpg/index.htm), usually identified by their red cars nearby.
Sorry for ugly link, am on phone.
posted by goo at 5:20 AM on January 20, 2011
Sorry for ugly link, am on phone.
posted by goo at 5:20 AM on January 20, 2011
Response by poster: It was on the south edge of Hyde park. Looking at Google Maps, there are quite a few embassies in the area. Sounds like you guys are probably right that they were carrying guns because of that.
Thanks.
posted by Urtylug at 5:26 AM on January 20, 2011
Thanks.
posted by Urtylug at 5:26 AM on January 20, 2011
All or at least most of the Ministry of Defence police are armed, and it would make sense to see police from those units near the various embassies mentioned.
I don't see any reason why MOD Police would be guarding embassies. They're the military police equivalence for the most part, so only guard/patrol/have jurisdiction on military bases.
posted by Brockles at 7:15 AM on January 20, 2011
I don't see any reason why MOD Police would be guarding embassies. They're the military police equivalence for the most part, so only guard/patrol/have jurisdiction on military bases.
posted by Brockles at 7:15 AM on January 20, 2011
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by rtha at 5:01 PM on January 19, 2011